Amusement device

ABSTRACT

An amusement device having a preferably transparent housing including an upright chute, and a gear train in the housing including a gear which partially extends into the chute. Plural playing pieces are associated with the device and are of a size and shape to loosely fit within, and slide down, the chute. The playing pieces have a preferably serrated periphery forming a rack for engagement with the toothed periphery of the gear which extends into the chute to initiate movement of the gear train as the playing pieces move through the chute. The bottom of the housing includes a pivoted member which extends partially into the chute for engagement by a descending playing piece and a missile element is associated therewith to the interior of the housing, remote from the chute, so as to be flipped upwardly by a descending playing piece which strikes the pivot element.

United States Patent Glass et a].

[54] AMUSEMENT DEVICE [72] Inventors: Martin I. Glass, Chicago; HowardJ. Morrison, Highland Park, both of Ill.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass 8: Associates [22] Filed: Aug. 11, 1970 21Appl. No.: 62,888

[52] US. Cl. ..46/39 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63h 33/30 [58] Field of Search..46/42, 175, 176, 40, 39

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,804,719 9/ l 957 Glass..46/42 2,692,443 10/1954 Milligan ..46/39 Primary Examiner-Louis G.Mancene Assistant Examiner-J. Q. Lever [451 Oct. 3, 1972Att0rneyl-lofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & Mc- Cord ABSTRACT Anamusement device having a preferably transparent housing including anupright chute, and a gear train in the housing including a gear whichpartially extends into the chute. Plural playing pieces are associatedwith the device and are of a size and shape to loosely fit within, andslide down, the chute. The playing pieces have a preferably serratedperiphery forming a rack for engagement with the toothed periphery ofthe gear which extends into the chute to initiate movement of the geartrain as the playing pieces move through the chute. The bottom of thehousing includes a pivoted member which extends partially into the chutefor engagement by a descending playing piece and a missile element isassociated therewith to the interior of the housing, remote from thechute, so as to be flipped upwardly by a descending playing piece whichstrikes the pivot element.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEnuma I972 3.694.855

sumanrz ATTOR NEYS AMUSEMENT DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Fieldof the Invention This invention relates to amusement devices.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art There are many well known childrens toys or amusement devices which utilize the principle of a peg orblock or playing piece which traverses through a chute. One suchvariation includes those devices which are a hammer and bencharrangement wherein the pieces are deposited outwardly from the chutefollowing their being driven through their openings in the bench.Generally, such devices merely utilize the principle of the block orplaying piece ultimately being fed outwardly from the terminal end ofthe chute after initial deposit through an input end thereof with littleother related mechanical motion resultant from the playing pieces orblocks traversing through the chute.

Children are typically fascinated by toys which involve motion as wellas sound reproduction, particularly if the activity of the child inassociation with the toy helps create the motion or reproduction ofsound. The younger the child, the more difficult it is for the child tobe able to operate or understand the operation of toys which may requiresome sort of actuation by the child in order to produce movement, soundand the like. However, even children of extremely tender years arecapable of understanding the concept, of dropping playing pieces into achute and watching the dispensation of the playing pieces outwardly ofthe chute. Since this is an easily understood and popular form ofactivity with extremely young children, it is the purpose of thisinvention to meet a need and desire in the art to utilize the concept ofdropping playing pieces through a chute to initiate movements of otherelements of a motion transmitting and sound reproducing toy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed, in brief, to animproved amusement device having internally actuated elements which aremotivated by dropping playing pieces down a chute-like portion of thedevice.

The best mode currently contemplated for carrying out the inventionincludes a housing having a substantially uprightly oriented chute and agear train in the interior of the housing including one gear memberwhich partially intersects the chute. Playing pieces are provided havinga serrated periphery forming a rack in cooperation with the gear whichextends into the chute for initiating movement of the gear train as theplaying pieces are dropped into the chute and engage the gear in thechute.

A pivoted member is also provided, having a portion extending into thepath of travel of the playing piece below the gear which intersects thechute, so as to be struck by a descending playing piece imparting aflipping movement to the pivoted member. A lightweight missile elementis associated with the pivoted member and may be flipped upwardly aboutthe interior of the housing. A bell is mounted in the interior of thehousing to be engaged by the flipped missile element and create a soundthereby.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theamusement device of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the amusement device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section view taken generally along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;and

FIG. 4 is a section view taken generally along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many differentforms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described indetail a specific embodiment in many different forms, there is shown inthe drawings and will herein be described in detail a specificembodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosureis to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of theinvention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodimentillustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The amusement device 10 ofthis invention includes a housing, generally indicated 12, having abottom 14, a top l6 and opposite end walls 18 and 20 with end wall 18and top 16 being joined by curved intermediate section 21. In addition,the housing includes side panels 22 and 24 to complete the substantialenclosure of the housing. A handle 26 extends above top 16 to facilitatethe carrying about of the device 10 of this invention.

Adjacent the top of end wall 20 there is provided an upper playing pieceopening 28, and adjacent the bottom of the end wall 20 there is provideda lower playing piece opening 30. An upright rib 32 is spaced a shortdistance inwardly from end wall 20 and has interruption 32a therein andterminates in an inwardly directed lower leg 32b. The open upper andlower ends 28 and 30 and the rib 32 combine with the end wall 20 todefine therewith a playing piece path of travel, or chute 34.

A first movable member or gear 38, having a toothed periphery 40,extends partly through the interruption 32a in rib 32 a slight distanceinto the chute 34. A hub opening 42 of gear 38 is impaled upon a stub 44that extends inwardly from side wall 24 to rotatably mount the gear 38to the interior of the housing. The gear 38 includes an enlarged discportion 46 having a plurality of outwardly projecting pins or pegs 48.The disc portion 46 and related outwardly projecting pins reside withina circular cavity 50 which is part of the structure of the side wall 22.A generally cylindrical caged element 52 of a diameter slightly smallerthan the distance between pins 48 is held within the cage, resultantfrom the cooperation of disc 46, pins 48 and cavity 50, and is freelymovable within the confines thereof.

Gear 38 is in meshing engagement with a gear 54 having a toothedperiphery 56. Gear 56 has an opening 58 in the hub thereof which isimpaled by stub 60 to also rotatably mount the gear 54 to the side wall24 of the housing 12.

Gear 54 is, in turn, in meshing engagement with a gear 62 having atoothed periphery 6 4. Gear 62 has a hub opening 62a which is alsoimpaled on a stub 62b of the side wall 24 to rotatably mount the gear 62with respect to the housing 12. In addition, the gear 62 furtherincludes a ratchet disc portion 66 having a ratchet tooth-like periphery68. Disc portion 66 is fixed for rotation of gear 54 and gear 38.

A pawl member 70, herein shown in the form of a simulated cow, isprovided adjacent the ratchet disc periphery and includes simulated feet72a, 72b, 72c and 72d which constitute pawl elements for engagethem withthe periphery 68. The pawl member 70 is pivoted at 74 to hub 76 onhousing wall 24 to provide a back and forth rocker-type action to thepawl 70, so as to afford a step-by-step intermittent movement to the'ratchet disc 66 responsive to the rotation imparted thereto by theother gears 38, 54 and 62 of the gear train. In addition to theintermittent movement there will be a resultant step-by-step audiblesound, similar to a clicking noise.

The interior of the housing includes a second movable member, or missileflipping structure, or arm 80 having an inner end 80a and an outer end80b. Outer end 80b is positioned within the chute adjacent the outfeedend 30 and below the leg 32b or rib 32. The arm 80 is pivoted to wall 24at 82 off-center with respect to its length, so as to normally orientthe inner end 80a downwardly and the outer end 80b upwardly with respectto the pivot 82. A missile element or ball 84 is associated with the arm80, and preferably is a small lightweight ball similar in structure andweight to the well known ping-pong ball. A depending guide or rampelement 86 extends from base 14, upwardly at a relatively steep angle toa merger with the interior of the side wall 18 below the juncture 21between side wall 18 and top 16. A plurality of ball deflecting pins88a, 88b, 88c, 88d, 88e, 88f and 88g, project inwardly from the sidewall 22 of the housing. These pins serve to deflect and interrupt thedescending path of travel of the ball 84 as it is flipped upwardly alongramp 86, side wall 18 and intermediate portion 21, responsive to rapidpivotal movement of arm 80 about its mounting 82 as will be explained.

The amusement device further includes an audible signal producing means90, herein shown in the form of a conventional bell. The signalproducing means 90 is connected to the side wall 22 by a screw 92 andsound openings 94 are provided in wall 22 about bell 90.

The device of this invention further includes a plurality of playingpieces 96, which are preferably cylindrical in configuration, eitherbeing circular cylindrical or square cylindrical as shown in FIG. 1.Each of the playing pieces is provided with a serrated or pleatedperiphery 98 providing a plurality of vertically tandem orientedcontinuous notches affording movable member engaging surfaces, or atoothed periphery of crests 100 and roots 102, so that the playingpieces 96 constitute simulated rack members for engagement with thetoothed periphery 40 of gear 38.

In operation, a user drops a playing piece 96 down the open end 28 ofchute 34, and as it descends to the area of the gear 38, the serrated orpleated periphery 98 of the playing piece 96 will engage the toothedperiphery 40 of the gear 38 to initiate movement of the gear and therelated components of the gear train including gears 54 and 62 andratchet disc 66. During this movement, the element 52 will be tossedabout within the confines afforded by he cavity 50 and disc 46 and thepawl will intermittently engage the ratchet periphery 68 of ratchet disc66 to provide step-by-step intermittent movement and associatedintermittent clicking sound and the like.

As the playing piece 96 descends past the area of the gear 38, whereinit is temporarily slowed during this period of engagement therewith, itwill then strike the outer end b of arm 80 causing the ball 84 to beflipped upwardly about the interior of the housing. The ball will thendescend rather slowly as it is deflected between the several pins 88a,b, etc. In most instances, during its descent, the ball 84 will strikethe bell 90 producing an audible signal and will ultimately come back torest on top the inner end 80a or arm 80 inasmuch as this is the lowestportion defined by the area bounded by the ramp 86, rib 32 and walls 18and 16 arm and curved portion 21. The operation may be repeated throughthe use of several such playing pieces 96 and, if the participant isquick enough, the action may be performed in a continuous nature. Toenhance the amusement and entertainment value of the toy of thisinvention, at least the side wall 22 is preferably transparent ortranslucent and the remainder of the housing may be transparent as wellif desired. Thus, a participant is provided with the interest affordednot only by the noise resultant from the interaction of the severalelements, but also from viewing the motion resultant from the act ofdispensing a playing piece down the chute.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understoodtherefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in theart.

We claim:

1. An amusement device comprising: means defining a housing; meansthrough said housing defining a playing piece path of travel having aninput end and an output end; a playing piece of a size and shape to passthrough said playing piece path of travel; said playing piece having amovable member engaging surface thereon; a first movable member movablymounted in said housing with a portion thereof intersecting said playingpiece path of travel intermediate the ends of said path, and having aplaying piece engaging surface thereon for cooperative engagement withsaid playing piece movable member engaging surface to initiate movementof the movable member engaging surface to initiate movement of themovable member responsive to travel of said playing piece through saidpath of travel, said first movable member being part of a movable trainof interrelated members to which motion is imparted responsive tomovement of said first movable member.

2. The amusement device of claim 1 wherein the movable member andplaying piece have cooperative gerar tooth peripheries.

3. The amusement device of claim 2 wherein the movable member includes agear having a toothed periphery and wherein the playing piece has aserrated exterior portion defining a rack thereby for cooperativeengagement with the periphery of the gear.

4. An amusement device comprising: means defining a housing; means insaid housing defining a playing piece path of travel; a playing piece ofa size and shape to be received in said playing piece path of travel;said playing piece having a movable member engaging surface thereon; afirst movable member movably mounted in said housing and having aplaying piece engaging surface thereon for cooperative engagement withsaid playing piece movable member engaging surface to initiate movementof the movable member responsive to travel of said playing piece throughsaid path of travel; and a second movable member pivoted to the housingand having a portion extending into the playing piece path of travel anda'missile element associated therewith for launching into a path oftravel when said second member is engaged by a playing piece movingthrough said playing piece path of travel.

5. The amusement device of claim 4 wherein the playing piece has aserrated exterior portion defining a rack surface thereby and whereinthe movable member includes a gear having a toothed periphery forengagement with the playing piece rack surface, with the gear being partof a gear train mounted to the interior of the housing.

6. The amusement device of claim 4 including audible signal producingmeans in the interior of the housing in a position to be struck by themissile element following movement of sand movable member.

7. The amusement device of claim 5 wherein one gear of said gear trainis associated with an escapement mechanism for step-by-step movementresponsive to rotatable movement of the actuated gear train.

8. The amusement device of claim 5 wherein one member of the gear trainincludes a cage having a loosely confined cage element therein, the cagebeing associated with the gear train for movement of the cage and itsassociated element responsive to actuation of the gear train.

9. The amusement device of claim 4 wherein he playing piece path oftravel comprises a generally uprightly oriented chute having an inputend and an output end with the movable member being located between saidinput and output ends.

10. The amusement device of claim 9 wherein said second movable memberis located between said first movable member and said output end.

' 33 7 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION v 2 PatentN 3, I Dated October 3, 197

lube-mus) Marvin I. Glass, Howard J.- Morrison It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

- col. 4, line 17 I Delete "arm".

- Col. 4, Claim 2, line 3 Delete "gerar", insert gear.

Col. 6, Claim 9, line 1 Delete "he", insert the.

p 1, 2, lines 14, Delete "in manydifferent forms, there is 15 shown inthe drawings and will herein be described in detail a specificembodiment" Signedand sealed this 20th day of November 1973.

(SEAL) Attest: I I

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. V RENE D. TEGTMEYER' v Attesting Officer ActingCommissioner of Patents

1. An amusement device comprising: means defining a housing; meansthrough said housing defining a playing piece path of travel having aninput end and an output end; a playing piece of a size and shape to passthrough said playing piece path of travel; said playing piece having amovable member engaging surface thereon; a first movable member movablymounted in said housing with a portion thereof intersecting said playingpiece path of travel intermediate the ends of said path, and having aplaying piece engaging surface thereon for cooperative engagement withsaid playing piece movable member engaging surface to initiate movementof the movable member engaging surface to initiate movement of themovable member responsive to travel of said playing piece through saidpath of travel, said first movable member being part of a movable trainof interrelated members to which motion is imparted responsive tomovement of said first movable member.
 2. The amusement device of claim1 wherein the movable member and playing piece have cooperative gerartooth peripheries.
 3. The amusement device of claim 2 wherein themovable member includes a gear having a toothed periphery and whereinthe playing piece has a serrated exterior portion defining a rackthereby for cooperative engagement with the periphery of the gear.
 4. Anamusement device comprising: means defining a housing; means in saidhousing defining a playing piece path of travel; a playing piece of asize and shape to be received in said playing piece path of travel; saidplaying piece having a movable member engaging surface thereon; a firstmovable member movably mounted in said housing and having a playingpiece engaging surface thereon for cooperative engagement with saidplaying piece movable member engaging surface to initiate movement ofthe movable member responsive to travel of said playing piece throughsaid path of travel; and a second movable member pivoted to the housingand having a portion extending into the playing piece path of travel anda missile element associated therewith for launching into a path oftravel when said second member is engaged by a playing piece movingthrough said playing piece path of travel.
 5. The amusement device ofclaim 4 wherein the playing piece has a serrated exterior portiondefining a rack surface thereby and wherein the movable member includesa gear having a toothed periphery for engagement with the playing piecerack surface, with the gear being part of a gear train mounted to theinterior of the housing.
 6. The amusement device of claim 4 includingaudible signal producing means in the interior of the housing in aposition to be struck by the missile element following movement of sandmovable member.
 7. The amusement device of claim 5 wherein one gear ofsaid gear train is associated with an escapement mechanism forstep-by-step movement responsive to rotatable movement of the actuatedgear train.
 8. The amusement device of claim 5 wherein one member of thegear train includes a cage having a loosely confined cage elementtherein, the cage being associated with the gear train for movement ofthe cage and its associated element responsive to actuation of The geartrain.
 9. The amusement device of claim 4 wherein he playing piece pathof travel comprises a generally uprightly oriented chute having an inputend and an output end with the movable member being located between saidinput and output ends.
 10. The amusement device of claim 9 wherein saidsecond movable member is located between said first movable member andsaid output end.